[BN] the know

Charges dismissed against UB professor

Charges of disorderly conduct were dropped Thursday against an adjunct professor at the University at Buffalo.

Amherst Town Justice Mark G. Farrell dismissed the charge against Laura Curry stemming from her confrontation with university police last month during a student pro-life rally near the student union on the North Campus.

Curry, who is also a graduate student at UB, used profanity to voice her objections to images on display during the pro-life demonstration, which led to her heated exchange and arrest.

The incident even attracted some national attention, because it was caught on video and posted to the Internet.

“I can swear because that’s part of my vocabulary and that’s part of my First Amendment right,” Curry is overheard telling UB police. “Where does it say I cannot use the ---- word in public? Where does it say that? What law says that?”

Curry, who was reached after her court appearance Thursday, was happy the charge was dismissed, but said she wants to continue a dialogue with the university about ensuring free speech on all sides of an issue.

“If this is something that the University at Buffalo is going to protect, and drop in on the campus without warning,” Curry said in reference to the pro-life display, “then you better be ready for a reaction.”